There are some common notes and adjustments that we hear time and again in classes. Set yourself up for success by prepping your material with these notes in mind.

1. Know who you are talking to. Have a strong understanding of who your character is talking to in the scene and what your relationship is with them. You should be able to firmly visualize them.
2. Raise the stakes. Make this feel even more important to the character. Understand WHY it is important.
3. Find different levels in the material. Play different intentions throughout the piece so we see and feel the different levels.
4. Make strong choices. Playing safe isn’t memorable. Make a smart choice.
5. Be mindful of your focus/eyeline. Where is your scene partner? Stay focused on them.
6. Be as specific as possible. Generalizations don’t tell a good story.
7. Know what your character wants in the scene. If the scene ended the way your character wants it to– what would happen? How do they try to get to that goal in different ways?
8. Know what happens in the moment before. Embrace that moment before you begin the performance. Understand the background leading to this scene.
9. Stay honest and authentic. Don’t push.
10. Keep training! A good actor works out that muscle like you would work in the gym.

Colleen Finnegan Kahl is an accomplished Theatre Arts Educator, author of this article, and President of Actors Connection. Colleen is an expert helping aspiring actors with online casting, New York casting, and how to meet casting directors. 

If you’re a film/TV actor, your demo reel is one of the most powerful tools that you have besides your headshots and resume to market yourself to agents and casting directors. By choosing the right scenes for your demo reel and ordering them correctly, they can help you to find representation, auditions and even bookings.

What is a Demo Reel?

An actor demo reel or sizzle reel is a 1-3 minute edited video collection of your best performances. Talent agents, managers, casting directors and producers, view demo reels when searching for new acting talent for representation or their projects.

Once you’ve landed representation, your talent agent and/or manager will submit your demo reel to casting when submitting via Breakdown Services, Casting Networks or when pitching a casting director.

Casting directors will view demo reels to get a sense of an actor’s range and abilities and if they are right for the projects they are casting. Your demo can help or hurt you based on how you’ve created it.

Creating your Demo Reel

When you start compiling your demo reel, there are some things you want to think about.

First, it’s a compilation of your best on-screen work. This is your time to be selfish and your demo needs to showcase your acting abilities, not other actors.

You will start with your graphic title card with your name and headshot. (5 seconds)

Then your BEST SCENE FIRST. It might be all that is watched so make sure we get 5 seconds of your graphic title card and then right into you speaking/acting.

No montages, no MOS (motion omitting sound), no video of you dancing, no soundtracks unless it was edited in with the piece you were doing and lends itself to the credibility of your scene.

All notable work should be titled as we go into each scene.

From there, your scenes should show acting range. If you are repeating the same type of character in the same situations, stick with one scene.

Your demo should be no longer than 3 minutes and preferably around 2 minutes. It can even be as short as 1 minute with just two scenes.

End your demo with your Graphic Title card with your name, headshot and contact/agent info etc.

In creating your demo, I’d recommend that you hire a demo reel editor to help you look your very best. If you are technically skilled, iMovie is one of the simplest editing programs to work in.

If you’re missing certain types of roles, you can always create a short film and then edit out the best part for your demo.

• Don’t use scenes from classes, taped monologues or auditions that you’ve self-taped.
• No outdated or low quality footage. If the sound quality is an issue in a scene, don’t use it.
• Also, don’t use any stage work in your film/TV demo. Create that as a separate demo or as a clip.

Speaking of clips, you should also have all scenes from your demo clipped out and titled i.e.

• Lead in Indie Rom Com
• Villain in Horror feature
• Lawyer in Indie Drama etc.

Sometimes you will find that you or your representation will only want to submit a specific scene/clip for a project. When casting directors don’t have a lot of time, it helps to narrow what they want to watch from what you are offering online via Actors Access, Casting Networks, your website etc.

All clips should be 1 minute or less.

As you build your credits and role work over time, you’ll want to keep improving and updating your demo reel so that it currently represents you.

Don’t forget that your demo reel is one of the most powerful tools you and your representation have to get you in the door. Make sure that it’s your best!

Here are some good examples of quality demo reels:

James L. Ward | Lori Hammel | Roger Hervas | Regina Schneider

This article was written by Tony Nation, a partner at the Actors Connection.  Tony is a professional Actor, Acting Coach, expert in Demo Reels, and helping aspiring actors succeed at their craft. 

Don’t fall into these common ACTOR TRAPS that are surefire ways to lead you towards dissatisfaction in your acting career.

1. Over-analyzing your audition. Give yourself 2 minutes to think about how you can improve your audition next time. Write down some tips for yourself. THEN LET IT GO! Replaying your audition over and over in your head for days on end won’t book you the job, make you feel good, OR make you a better auditioner. Follow the 2 minute rule– and then MOVE ON WITH LIFE.
2. Not making time to enjoy other things in life. I say this ALL the time. YOU ARE NOT AN ACTOR ROBOT. If you are only doing acting related things you aren’t populating your brain with new life experiences to source from when building new characters. The more life you live…the more interesting things you can use to build incredibly realistic and authentic performances. Go out there and do new things and meet new people.
3. Skipping the research. If you aren’t making time to research the work you are going in for– then step aside and leave the business for the true professionals. With the internet at your fingertips– there is no reason why you can’t set aside an hour to research a role you are right for or a show you are auditioning for. Going in blind doesn’t send casting the message that you will take the job seriously. Dig a little deeper.
4. Selecting overdone material. With millions of choices for great material out there, there is no need to do things that are known to be overdone. Veer away from materials that are being done time and time again and swap it out for specific choices that are perfect for you. Look at earlier bodies of work– or lesser known bodies or work. Or repurpose something to fit your needs. Unexpected material that suits you and the project are the best routes.
5. Submitting for jobs they aren’t right for or don’t want. Nothing frustrates casting more than someone who takes time out of their auditions for “relationship building” and not because they actually are right for the job. That is a selfish move and could certainly backfire in a big way. Make sure you want the job/are RIGHT for the job/ are AVAILABLE for the job. Time is money for casting teams and when you knowingly take advantage of their audition process you will put an unnecessary dent in what could have been a positive relationship. Don’t lose trust going out for the wrong jobs.
6. Comparing your careers to others. Everyone is different and this journey is no exception. What works for one person doesn’t work for all people. You need to customize your path, and make adjustments depending on what helps YOU to be bookable.

Need help navigating this advance along with all the other the ins and the outs of your acting career? Consider our FAST TRACK program. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Colleen Finnegan Kahl is an accomplished Theatre Arts Educator, author of this article, and President of Actors Connection. Colleen is an expert helping aspiring actors find acting classes not only in New York, but also in Atlanta and LA.

Photo kindly by Vladimir Fedotov.

In a competitive industry, many actors worry about whether there is ROOM for them. If there are other actors that look like them and can play the same characters just as well– then how can they succeed?

Well let me say with 100% confidence that if you are passionate about this work being the most perfect fit for you– then there IS ROOM FOR YOU IN THIS INDUSTRY.

No one is YOU. Not even close.

No one’s heart can come even close to replicating yours. How could it? No one has been through the emotional ups and downs that you have. No one has lived through life making the exact decisions you have made– and have been served the exact same lessons the exact same way. All of those little details that are intimately you, are YOURS and YOURS alone.

So if NO ONE can be you… precisely YOU…. well then as long as you approach your work authentically… NO ONE can give the exact same performance.

Any audition appointment you get– they want to see one thing. YOUR version of the character. If they wanted to see someone else’s version of the work– well they would set up an appointment with them and NOT you. When you are brought to the table– it is your JOB to do a performance as only YOU can give it. And there is no one as qualified to bring YOURSELF to the work– as YOU!

Thinking this way as you approach your auditions can help keep you feeling empowered as an artist. Stop worrying about what the other side of the table WANTS and start focusing on what YOU want to BRING. You can’t control anyone else’s decisions but your own. So make the decision to make YOURSELF proud. Make choices that YOU have fun with. Trying to get into the head of someone else will trip you up. Do your research and understand the story and vibe to the best of your ability and then make the choices that make YOU feel good.

Stop WORRYING about the other people auditioning. Stop WORRYING about what the other side of the table wants. Start CREATING things that ONLY YOU can create and see how THAT brings you new places in your career. Auditioning IS the work, and if you find yourself having more fear than fun, you need to take a step back and check in with yourself. Fear doesn’t book jobs. Fun on the other hand…..that’s a different story!

For more help on making creative choices in the audition room– check out our online classes!

Colleen Finnegan Kahl is an accomplished Theatre Arts Educator, author of this article, and President of Actors Connection, offering online acting classes and workshops for teens and adults alike.

Photo kindly by Jean Gerber. Additional insert photo thank you to Ben White. 

Visualizing yourself achieving major goals is an incredible tool when it comes to setting yourself up for success. But how does it work exactly?

As an actor, you make an income from having a great imagination. You regularly access your brain in a way most people don’t. Why not harness that brainpower more fully?

When you visualize your achievements — your mind is basically “rehearsing” living the event. Not only will it give you the confidence to perform well when you are actually in the scenario, but it harnesses your subconscious to conspire to support you in subtle shifts and new inspiration. Visualization techniques are one of the most powerful ways to tap your hidden talents and potential and help empower you to make better decisions under pressure.

So why aren’t you using it before your auditions? 

Follow these easy steps to start a visualization practice before your next audition– we can’t wait to hear how it helps you!

STEP 1: Sit in a quiet, comfortable place. Close your eyes. Focus on long deep breaths.

STEP 2: Set the scene in your mind. Imagine the audition in as much detail as you can. Visualize what the room might look like. Visualize you and what you are wearing. What are the sounds? Smells?

STEP 3: Think through the action steps of the audition. What do you want to happen? What is said? What is seen? What is heard? The more detail here the better. Imagine the action you are taking. Imagine the perfect discoveries you find in the text. Imagine how “at home” you feel in this character and how honestly you connect with your reader. Most importantly, feel the confidence and success in your body as things unfold beautifully. Where do you feel that success in your body? What does it do to your energy? Revel for a moment in that energy. Enjoy it. Savor it. Live this moment during this meditation– and live it the exact way you would like for it to go down.

STEP 4: Imagine your results. Feel how it makes you feel. Did you “book” the room? Is everyone smiling? Did you change the energy of the room? Did you uplift the creative team? What was said? How did it feel to make yourself proud of your grounded authentic work? Where do you feel that joy in your body? Focus in on that energy like you are memorizing the energy itself. Revel in it.

STEP 5: Open your eyes but maintain that energy of confidence and success as you go about your day.

Pro Tip: A visualization like this should be enjoyable. It should make you feel great. Let any negative thoughts that come up melt away and enjoy focusing on the positive.

Pro Tip 2: The more you visualize this, the more you will be rehearsing your audition energy and confidence, the easier it will be to tap into it in the moment.

Looking for more tips and tools for your acting career? Register for a free consultation to learn about what classes are right for you. CLICK HERE to get started.

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Many people ask us how to meet casting directors and acting agents. We hope this article by Actors Connection President Colleen Kahl helps you on that path. Photo kindly by @pabloheimplatz